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Since 2014 I have personally known the Community of the Twelve Tribes by residencies of several weeks in three countries. First, only by chance in France, then planned in Spain, and now also in Germany. In each country, I found everywhere the same good spirit, grace, piety, fear, and humility before the absoluteness of the one God as well as of the salvation offered by His incarnate Son, the Messiah, to lost humanity.

In these communities, the Scripture is not only read and talked about, you will also live and feel it – experience it – for example in:

Kindness and charity, community and a sense of family, overcoming egoism, hospitality, peacefulness, and harmony. It is not paradise – but even where there is defectiveness and failure – they deal openly and honestly and by confession bring restoration.

The only thing I have repeatedly missed longingly into the Community in Klosterzimmern is… your children!

Equating corporal punishment with violence and even abuse is a mistake1 and it was turned by advocates (in the media and government) against children’s deprivation into it’s exact opposite (causing their deprivation!).

Nor is punishment always good and always justified. Little children can come to harm, and this must be prevented or stopped. Those possibly injured must be compensated. The actual “violent criminals” are here clearly all those who have carried out and endorsed the extremely brutal action and action against child and family. Those who do not even have qualms to snatch babies the mother’s breast 2, are soulless beings without hearts… they have taken leave of their senses. One can only commiserate (pity) these poor creatures and pray for them in the hope of salvation.

Horst Seehofer (photo by Ralf Roletschek)

This horror and insanity is right here in democratic Germany, in the “Free State of Bavaria – “…the precursor to Paradise” (campaign Quote 2014 Horst Seehofer / Bavarian Prime Minister)!

70 years after the demise of the dictatorial reign of terror, which caused unimaginable suffering, the damage has not yet been settled.

Discreetly let me say of some companions of other nations, that I have known during my hike on the Camino de Santiago in 2014, that we Germans are often considered arrogant…which still attaches to us the name “Nazis”…

We have to bear a burden and should train ourselves in humility, modesty, and above all peacefulness.

Shalom

Gerhard Schelchshorn

Submitted on 10/21/2015 (link is to a post on the German language blog).

Notes

As a judge in 2012 in Germany had to discretely say – lest he lose his position! – “Whoever punishes every form of physical punishment without differentiation, evens out the profound pedagogical difference between child abuse and clear, child-rearing guidelines of controlled chastisement which are aimed at the welfare of the child and are not administered in anger. No one can argue that the Bible agrees with chastisement as long as it is done within measure and as long as it serves to raise a child lovingly. A state that forbids Christian parents all forms of physical discipline intrudes in a God-given, inalienable right, and restricts not only parental rights but also the freedom of religion that is protected by the German Constitution.” ↩

This is what happened: The nursing mothers were allowed to remain with their babies in a state-run institution. Then, again without notice, a second raid came on December 9, more brutal than the first and without any warrant. A nursing baby was literally torn off of its mother’s breast, and a child with a life-threatening medical condition was not allowed even to say goodbye to his mother. Crying siblings were split up. Even the people at the institution were appalled, knowing full well the trauma being inflicted upon the stunned and defenseless children. A respected villager called the action “beneath contempt“: “This was beneath contempt” complains Manfred Herrmann, a citizen of Dürrlauingen: ”This is not how you deal with people,” says the 74-year-old. He is not sympathizing with the community of believers, but: “What happened there was unseemly.” ↩

Based on accusations of abuse, more than 40 minors of the Twelve Tribes community in Klosterzimmern were taken into state custody, two years ago. The children of Klosterzimmern were brought to the administrative district office in Donauwörth and were examined immediately by medical officers. Despite intensive search, no signs were found that confirmed the accusations or justified the governmental measure1.

The official speakers at the following press conference, knew about these results of the examination, when they portrayed this measure from the state’s point of view. However, the media representatives that were gathered, were not informed about the results of the examination by the medical officer. On the contrary, they described a real horror scenario, that one would expect based on supposed reliable sources.

Also countless conversations were mentioned, in which they tried to make the parents distance themselves from spanking. In the meantime social workers (youth welfare agents) have admitted themselves that these never took place. What did happen was a horror scenario, but certainly not there where it was expected and thoroughly searched for, on the bodies and souls of the children that were taken into custody. The horror scenario happened in the rooms of the administrative district office Donauwörth, when the children realized that they were not going to be released to go home, as they were promised on their drive there, but would be brought to foster parents and foster homes. Those who were involved speak of horrible scenes and screaming.

The mass seizure on September 5, 2013 was a historical event in the history of the Republic of Germany. Before 1945 such collective measures against ethnic or religious groups were known as ‘kin liability’ (or clan guilt, sippenhaft2). What happened on September 5, 2013 in Klosterzimmern and Wörnitz is extremely alarming to international law.

According to international penal code it fulfills the facts of genocide, especially in light of this, that except for generalizations, neither the request of the Jugendamt (youth welfare office) nor the court order to withdraw custody for the children of the community of the Twelve Tribes, assign any specific wrongdoing to a specific person or family.

Par. 6 of the international penal code identifies such an act as genocide3:

Whoever, with the intention of destroying a national, racial, religious, or ethnic group completely or partially, (…) transfers a child from the group to another by force…

In the meantime experts who have been ordered by the family court in Nördlingen have also come to the same conclusion in their psychological examinations, as the medical officer did on the day of the violent seizure:

The children were safe with their parents

The head of the family court, Mr. Beyschlag, made it clear at the press conference on Sept 5th, 2013 in the administrative district office in Donauwörth, that the family court can act quickly.

The impression is growing, that after two years the “Jugendamt” (youth welfare) and the family court are still desperately trying to find evidence, to justify their initial requests and decisions. For this reason the children also are being influenced massively and adjusted against their parents, their religious convictions, and way of life. So that is how they try to get negative statements about the child training in our community.

During two years of procedures before the Bavarian courts, we found out, how little the German state is willing to abide by their own rules and what place of value basic rights, the right to live together as a family without state interference, and the right to freedom of religion and conscience have in our country. Unfortunately we must come to the conclusion that we can no longer live a life in responsibility before our Creator here.

So we “break camp” in this country after 20 years of our presence, to find a new home in the Czech Republic and other European neighboring countries. We hope to make homes for families there again, where we can live our peaceful and communal life according to God’s word undisturbed. The governmental actions towards the communities of the Twelve Tribes in other European countries, that also came about at the instigation the Federal Republic of Germany, give us hope for that.

In the end of 2013 the German officials informed all other countries in which the Twelve Tribes dwell about the accusations of child abuse. The officials in each country started being active in response to that. But even though there were the same accusations, they proceeded as democratic constitutions intend to:

In England the youth welfare contacted all the families, visited them at home and eliminated any concerns in their conversations with the parents and the children.

Even though France responded to the accusations with a massive action as well, they put importance on treating each family individually. The only custody procedure that was started after this action was cleared up in a speedy procedure and the children could go back to their parents after two weeks.

In Spain the procedure was treated with utmost discretion for the wellbeing of the children, and so no information was passed on to the media or third parties.

Through the visits of the Czech officials it became clear that it is still normal for parents to raise their children to obedience and respect there.

Still we will continue to pray that something can change in Germany, so that the Twelve Tribes can live here again in the future, just as it is possible for us to live in other constitutional countries.

Sippenhaft is clan guilt. According to Wikipedia it refers to the principle of families sharing the responsibility for a crime committed by one of its members. Practiced by totalitarian regimes such as Communist Russia and North Korea and also by socialist regimes such as National Socialist (Nazi) Germany. ↩

According to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, Article 2, genocide is to “d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;” and “e) forcibly transferring children of the group to another group,” thereby, with regards to the Twelve Tribes in Germany, accomplishing “c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;” not to mention the second part of “b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group.” ↩

First mentioned in the Open Letter to the Bavarian Parliament, we now publish the report of the social-educational expert about our children’s education, specifically their discipline. Please note that the expert mentions that Germany, like other “modern” nations, is substituting psychological control via harmful drugs in place of both discipline and the heart-to-heart connection that children vitally need to grow up. (Download here as a .pdf file: Expert Opinion.)

Dipl. Sozialpäd. (FH)

District Court of Nördlingen

Family Court, attn. Judge

Tändelmarkt 5, 86720 Nördlingen

Social-Pedagogical Report regarding the Published Accusations against the Twelve Tribes Community

Dear Judge,

Based on my many years of education as a social worker, I’m submitting to the court an expert opinion regarding the published accusations (especially the “video proofs” spread via RTL). This short expert opinion is free and independent, since I don’t know anyone from the religious community personally.

The case has personally affected me very much through the undifferentiated publication especially by RTL and the massive interference of the authorities.Therefore, my sense is that it is my civic duty to send to the court a sober and independant evaluation, especially because of my professional competence.

I ask for your comment.

This socio-educational expert opinion refers to the “video proofs,” which the reporter Wolfram Kuhnigk made (by the way, by intentionally lying with the intent to defame). These were broadcast by RTL rich with comments.

It was striking how the religious community was constantly labeled a “sect” in a defamatory way. The downright “cannibalization” of this “story” inevitably brings the audience into a negative attitude towards the “Twelve Tribes Community.”

The evidence presented lacked any social-pedagogical expertise even in the way they were presented.

Now as far as the “video proofs,” which were interpreted as child abuse:

– It was striking that the children didn’t react in fear by any means.

– It all happened in a calm tone, without screaming around.

– The penalty was also explained with an imagery the child understood (e.g. that of a strong tree – a comparison which the child knew how to categorize).

Unfortunately, the essential parts before and after were cut out of the “video proofs,” so that the educational context is not visible and the picture was narrowed down solely to the strokes with the rod, which was then evaluated with bias asabuse.

“Taking things out of context” in this way prevents the needed picture of the family as a whole.

Abuse often occurs in an uncontrolled rage and anger – this was not seen here at all.

Quite to the contrary, a peaceful atmosphere, which helps the child to understand the penalty. This penalty seems to be embedded in a framework where the child feels loved and accepted overall.

Obviously, the educators do not act randomly, but peacefully and in a positively targeted manner, so that the child can learn from it. This became clear in the video, e.g. it was explained to the child why he had to experience this penalty (“so that you will grow into a big strong tree”). The strokes were so weak that an injury is probably out of the question. This makes it clear that the educators did not want to hurt the children by any means. Physical abuse seems to be out of the question.

Telling from the reactions of the children, a positive trusting relationship with their educators becomes obvious, as the penalty as such is being accepted by the children.

These reactions by the children (among other things no resistance to the penalty) to me do not seem to be based on intimidation but on loving “embedding in a parent-child-relationship.”

This makes it clear that the context and the overall atmosphere that the child grows up in are of crucial importance.

By no means was I able to recognize any physical or emotional abuse on the video footage commented with bias.

If indeed parents raise their children in love and strictness (both belong to one another), this is respectable. The right to educate your child and likewise the obligation to educate include both.

There must be a differentiation: “having one’s bottom smacked” or abusive beating of children.

Lumping these two together is undifferentiated and hence injustice.

True education consists of love. Inevitably this also includes the consequence.

This lack of love becomes obvious when you take a closer look at the widespread practice of education in our country. Often children are handed over unprotected to the influence of the media or are simply “pacified,” e.g. with the drug/”fashionable drug” Ritalin (which is sold on the free market as a drug called Speed).

In 1995, 5000 children were receiving psychostimulants, in 2009 it was 500.000 children and youth in Germany alone.

Unfortunately, children are often “sacrificed” for the professional success of their parents. In German society oftentimes a consistent “not educating” is predominant, trying to accommodate the children’s wants and wishes. It is more than clear that this produces young people characterized by selfishness, to some extent dissatisfied, and not too oriented towards the common good.

Is not exactly this real child abuse?

Are the psychological effects not clear enough?

This is now contrasted with the practices of education of the “Twelve Tribes Community.” You can tell from the effects of the education whether the practices of the education are appropriate or not. This requires the children and youth to give an account themselves for evidence. In order to obtain an overall picture older youth and young adults also should speak up. Isolated mistakes that any teacher makes are what matters, but the education and its effects overall.

From objective factors, e.g. frequency of addictions among youth, social behavior (orientation towards the common good or self-centeredness, warmth or hardness of heart, sensitivity or lack of sensitivity, how conflicts are resolved positively, etc.) you can tell objectively what the practices of education are like in comparison.

Children also suffer psychological abuse, e.g. by being yelled at unlovingly.

In none of the cases on the “video proofs” did this happen in the Community of the “Twelve Tribes.”

“Having one’s bottom smacked” – as many still experienced – did not do any harm to people, if this was taking place in a loving family environment. Yelling, which is very commonplace, and loveless words leave a deep impression in the memory and on the psyche of the persons in need of protection, are a lot worse.

Withdrawal of love, which is very commonplace in our society, and emotional coldness, alienation, many times for days, are real cruelty for the soul of a child.

On the other hand a physical limit as immediate consequence which happens right away and is set in a loving family environment, is not bad. Rather, it helps the child – like a stop signal – to wind down. This opens the door to stop and consider, confront the situation, and lovingly work it out in the following conversation. The whole family environment is relieved when, for example, no single child can dominate the respective situation. The loving family framework is crucial. In this way child rearing will take place appropriately and in a multifacted fashion.

This is definitely not to promote arbitrary beating, real abuse, or withdrawal of love!

Conclusion: From a socio-educational perspective I could not identify any physical or psychological in the so called proofs. So from a socio-educational perspective the accusations against the Twelve Tribes Community due to the submitted “video proofs” are unwarranted, hence the response of the authorities is completely exaggerated.

In a media-effective way RTL put the Jugendamt (Social Services) and the authorities under pressure urging them to intervene. Many citizens were shocked by the extreme intervention of the authorities, “family liability,” the separation of parents and children and vice versa, etc.

Therefore, it is all the more necessary to hear the children, youth, and parents. Thus it becomes clear whether the children are growing up in a loving environment. The effect of child rearing is crucial. Good child rearing will largely produce people who are oriented towards the common good, social, happy, and loving.